Part III: Fire

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

The handhold— the object that fits in your palm and holds the drill in place—can be made from a small section of branch, a rock with a depression in it, or a piece of bone. Almost any type of wood will do, but it's best to use one that's harder than the drill and fireboard material.

The next two pieces, the fireboard and drill (or spindle), should both be contrived from the same type of wood . . . and your choice here is critical. You must select a branch of dead wood that's very dry, yet not rotted. It should also be a wood of medium hardness: You don't want to use a very hard species (like oak, hickory, and walnut) or a very soft resinous type (like pine, fir, and spruce). Cottonwood, willow, aspen, tamarack, cedar, sassafras, sycamore, and poplar are best.

After you've chosen your wood, cut off a branch for the spindle (it should be about 3/4" in diameter and 8" long). Then use a sharp rock or a knife to smooth out the drill until it is as straight and round as you can make it, and carve points on both ends of the stick.

To construct the fireboard, find a branch that's about 1" thick and 10" long, and whittle it flat on both sides. You want to end up with a board that's twice as wide as your drill and about 1/2" in thickness.

The last item needed to make fire with a bow drill is tinder, which I described earlier.

BURN AND NOTCH

With all your equipment assembled, it's time to finish preparing it by burning holes in the handhold and fireboard and then cutting a notch in the board. To mark the holes' positions, place a small nick—which will serve as a starting point—in the center of the handhold and one in the fireboard. The latter cut should be far enough in toward the middle of the board to leave room for the depression that will be burned in by the drill and for the added notch.

Now, wrap the string once around the drill to secure the stick. Adjust the tension of the cord so that you can't slide the spindle back and forth along it. Next, set up the components as shown in the accompanying photo of a bow-wielder.

Take careful note of the form used by this individual: If you duplicate it exactly, you should be able to start a fire under almost any weather conditions. The right-handed survivalist (a left-handed person would reverse these instructions) has placed his left foot across the fireboard, while he rests his right knee on the ground. His chest is set firmly on his left knee, and his left hand—braced tightly against his shin—grasps the handhold and keeps the spindle perpendicular to the fireboard. The bow is held in his right hand and moved in line with his body. From this position the firemaker can easily spin the drill and press down on it from above. In addition, his body over shadows the apparatus and thus creates a meager, but valuable, weather break.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print